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As the weather slowly gets warmer, you may be anxious to begin playing various outside sports such as baseball or tennis. While competing in various sports it is important to take extra precautions to protect your teeth against harmful injuries that could damage your teeth. If you lose a tooth or multiple teeth, implants are an appropriate solution to restoring your ability to chew food, improve speech and facial appearance. Dental implants are an alternative to partial and full dentures or bridges. Working like a tooth, an implant offers more comfort and stability than dentures. By replacing missing tooth roots, dental implants offer more than an esthetic enhancement for your smile. Dental implants provide people with the strength and durability required to eat all of the foods that they love, without struggling to chew. In addition, they help to stop or prevent jaw bone loss. Even though there are a number of restorative options for the treatment of missing teeth, none have proven to be as functionally effective and durable as dental implants. What are Dental Implants? Implants are manufactured "anchors" that resemble cylinders or screws, which are used in the upper and lower jaws. They are surgically inserted into the jawbone to become a stable base for artificial replacement teeth. The implant itself will act as the foot of the tooth with a crown, bridge or denture placed over the implant to look and perform like the natural tooth that was lost. Unlike dentures, implants are not removed overnight to soak or clean and require no adhesives. Today, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from other teeth, which are aided in part by the structural and functional connection between the dental implant and the living bone. Implants are typically placed in a single sitting, but do require a period of osseointegration, which is the process by which direct anchorage of a dental implant root and the bone of the jaw occur. Osseointegrated implants are the most commonly used, successful types of dental implants and take anywhere from three to six months to anchor and heal. After the healing period, your dentist can complete the procedure with the placement of a crown. Once the implant has anchored with the jawbone, artificial prosthesis may be attached and the process will be completed. If, for some reason, osseointegration does not occur, the implant will fail. Recovery and Aftercare Recovery after your dental implant procedure depends on a number of factors, including the various procedures required to complete your treatment. It is generally recognized that once an implant has been placed, maintaining diligent oral hygiene habits is necessary to ensure the proper fusing of the implant and bone structure. Failure to brush and floss is the leading cause of implant failure. Additionally, infection can occur if the implant and surrounding areas are not properly cleaned. Smoking highly contributes to failure rates with dental implants and should be avoided at all costs after your implant procedures. With proper care, an implant restoration can remain in place for more than 40 years. Maintain proper oral hygiene and you can smile proudly for years to come. If you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth, contact your Niagara Falls cosmetic dentist for further treatment and consultation. No longer do you have to live with missing teeth.
Sean Hartmen writes for Dr. Robert LaCarrubba at Niagara Quality Care Dentistry, Niagara Falls general dentist. Offering services in areas such as sedation, veneers, six month braces and implants in Niagara Falls, Dr. LaCarrubba is committed to providing patients with the best dental care available.
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